And so Strabel’s early lead evaporated, and Roes ambled to the finish line first, in the impressive and terrifying time of 2 hours, 54 minutes, and 44.49 seconds. (Maybe with effort, he can shave that extra half-second off his time next year.)

Whatever motivates the men and women of Crow Pass, we mere mortals must salute them. In an age of sanitized sport, they take competition back to its most elemental and mythic roots. And, no doubt, they feel absolutely horrible afterward.